Bencroy
‘There’s a mist that comes from nowhere,
that stirs the heather,
that rises from the stones.
And a misty air like water,
with no shore, no home.
There’s a light that falls after the shadows,
distant fields to ignite,
while ghost clouds go sailing,
like ships in the night.
Cold in the bones,
a message of life.’
On the Sliabh an Iarainn Mountain
Artwork: Bencroy 1 is the latest in my attempt at a series of artworks inspired by the landscape of my home and writing, the Sliabh an Iarainn mountain in Co. Leitrim, Ireland. My goal is immersion, escape, inspiration, and the work of the soul. Though I’m also just happy to see where it leads me. 🙂
This week I’m back with edits for my forthcoming novel, the prequel to Cailleach~Witch, BANSHEE. In this book we meet an earlier generation of the Cleary family. Unfortunately for them the year is 1845 and Seren Cleary has foreseen the famine and disaster for the family should they remain. But they are Bean Feasa, wise women whose ancestors made a forever deal with the Cailleach, an ancient spirt of the land…
A bit of a genre bender this one. I’ve taken actual events of the famine in Leitrim and combined them with ancient stories and superstitions to write a gothic fiction, historical fiction and adventure novel. I can’t wait for the day I can share it with you. In the meantime, writing, painting, more writing, repeat, xo Jane.
Have a great week, start a project, it’s good for you. 🙂
Dear Jane, What Inspired You To Write #CailleachWitch?

Question: Dear Jane, what inspired you to write Cailleach~Witch?

Answer No 73:

I took the energy of the landscape,
my sensitivity to it,
my ceaseless longing for it,
and alchemised it on the page.

I wanted to float away in it,
to be in it,
and stay there.
For a long, long time.
Complete and utter immersion,
annihilation.

That was the dream.
There are people who know what I mean.

Dear Jane – ‘The book keeps gathering steam, brewing up its charms & spells.’ #CailleachWitch

‘As far as Drew could tell the only fast moving thing now was the river that flowed from the mountain.’ 
I’ve made it to Chapter 25, and the book keeps gathering steam, brewing up its charms and spells.
Love, Tamara. 

Dear Tamara, thank you for your latest postcard. A joy as usual. And for taking me on your journey of reading my book. I love to see what words you’ve chosen. And now we’re almost at the end. I will miss your selections. Much Love, Jane.

‘I have come back to things that are impossible to do… apart from painting and gardening, I am good for nothing. My greatest masterpiece is my garden.’ – Claude Monet

And the reviews keep coming too. Like this incredibly thoughtful one from Amazon Canada… ps Please leave a review if you’ve read the book. With enough reviews Amazon will start promoting it to other customers. To Amazon a one word review is every bit as good as one like this. Reviews like this one are most helpful to potential readers, and lovely to read of course. In short, your review matters. Every review matters.

Meanwhile, I read an interesting article this morning EMBRACE YOUR WILDISH NATURE. Those of you who’ve read my book will recognise this central theme. I call it wild nature but it’s the same thing.

“Your wildish nature is your whole self at home in the natural world. It is your empowered, honest self that lives intuitively and in balance with nature.What Is Wildish Nature? Wildish nature is the nature we have abandoned on our quest to conquer nature. Wild nature is. It is what we come from, it is ancient wisdom.”

Read it HERE

Other themes in the book? Agency, power, freedom, the self, identity, belonging, home, society, the sibling relationship, family, culture, the call of the wild versus civilisation. To name a few.

In other news, I’ve been having fun making picture quotes for promotional purposes. Like this one…

‘Honor went to the window, opened it wide as was her habit, whenever the walls closed in. And leaning out into the pitch black she listened. The night was rich and ticking with life that nourished and maddened her. But there it was! Her name again, clearer now. She left the house. Now the wind sang a different tune, turn back, it seemed to say, before it’s too late. But she wouldn’t. She was the haunter now, the hunter, like the moon above her. And this was her terrain…’

This weekend… this weekend I’ll be giving a workshop, reading from my book, and taking part in an author q&a as part of Fright Fest in beautiful, historic, Ardagh. I’d love to see some of you there.

Here’s what we’ll be getting up to… WRITE YOURSELF FREE Taster Workshop – Are you living your creative potential? Is your writing/creative practice the best it can be right now? Have you found your unique voice yet? Your style? For this workshop Jane will be sharing simple and inspiring ideas and exercises towards your next level of writing and creativity. From beginner to fearless. Suitable for all levels and artistic disciplines. No experience necessary to take part. This workshop is based on Jane’s WRITE YOURSELF FREE Creative Writing course, soon to be available as an Ecourse. Get ready to banish all that’s holding you back.

That’s all for now but if you’d like to read more I updated my About Me section this week HERE

I almost forgot! I’m starting a special monthly newsletter exclusively for subscribers. If you haven’t already just enter your email address in the space provided on the home page. The monthly newsletter, my inspiration list, is launching soon. Each month I’ll be gathering my most inspiring finds in one place to share with you. Think of it as life and creativity fuel. A feast of inspiration.

Much Love, Jane. Brewing up charms and spells.

 

 

Dear Jane, it was the landscape, wasn’t it? #CailleachWitch

Oh Jane! I loved it, there was such a sense of urgency, from the opening to the finish. It was dark and moody and all the things I expected it to be. I could really visualise the landscape as it seemed to be the main character of the book, the house and the sisters second. It was captivating and now that I’m finished, I might just go for a walk to shake off the mist! Well done. Aisling.

Dear Aisling, thank you for these wonderful words. You know you can never shake off the mist. It’s a part of you, like the wind, like the mountain. This landscape, is the closest thing to me I’ve ever found. Much Love, Jane.

Cailleach~Witch is now available on Amazon, click HERE

Dear Jane, I love the vision.

Dear Jane,

This card matches your look, colours, and even the dog sits waiting for his copy. 

I read and pause, re-read certain lines like these:

‘Only the house sighed, only the light shining in moved like waves on the floor.  Still, there was comfort in it.’

I love the vision, Jane, and you saw it through in your world of curious green. 

Love, Tamara

South Carolina.

Dear Tamara,

To pick up where you left off…

‘Their world was shifting, but the seasons wouldn’t, nature wouldn’t. Spring would always follow winter, and summer after that.’

Thank you for bringing me with you as you read.

Love, Jane

Dear Jane, I don’t want it to end…

Dear Jane, it’s everything everybody’s been saying already. I don’t want it to end. And I was afraid to start it because everyone said about not wanting to put it down. So yesterday the only times I left my bedroom was twice to eat and once to check the mail for my daughter but I had a final interruption at night when I had to attend a meeting. I can’t remember the last time I sat and read a book. So this is evoking all sorts of excitement. Of going into another world. And sharing in this new family that you have created so realistically.

My daughter who had stopped by told me that she’d gotten the mail and it looked like there was a book and she left it on the couch for me and I was so disappointed I was working a second job that night that I was afraid to even touch it but I couldn’t help it. I stopped by the house to rip it open anyway and just hold it in my hands even though I knew I couldn’t open it or start turning the pages yet.

Just came back in to my room to grab the book again. The weather is perfect the time of year is perfect. Isn’t it hard to believe that these words took years to put down on paper but it takes only hours or days for us to relive and get into this other world. And feel a part of. When I read about the three sisters in strength and I just got done with the Dana Ellen part. I went back to your dedication page to count how many sisters you had and that reminded me of your three daughters and the strength your family holds together. I do see a lot of you in these words. It’s incredible. And so are you. To have this within you and to be able to share it with others.

For a long time you were always with me every morning being the first thing I got to share in… your pictures, your words, your love of color.. I’m exited for your success. excited to share in your world you created. Excited to see these words come full circle and affect so many. It’s just the beginning.

Kay. 

Pine City, Minnesota.

Dear Kay, we are separated by distance but united by words, thank you so much. It makes the world feel very small and even warm. We have the book! Can you believe it? After all this time…

With Love, Jane

Painting by Paul Emile Chabas

My novel Cailleach~Witch, a fast paced modern gothic mystery, is available on Amazon HERE

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